Dockside Assistance: Adding Dock Bubblers to Your Dock
We boaters do enjoy our ice. Where would we be without cubed, chipped and shaved ice keeping our drinks cold and frosty? With a warm and unappetizing beverage, that’s where! However, pieces of ice clicking and clacking against a fiberglass boat hull is never a good thing. Ice can cause also docks to crack, twist, bend and break. It can also damage bulkheads, anchor posts and mechanical systems.
If you’re not lucky enough to live amongst year-round sunshine and warm weather, your boat dock may need some extra help staying warm (don’t we all?). Dock bubblers may be the answer to your cold-weather boating woes.
Photo: Kasco Marine (Facebook)
Dock Bubblers Protect
- Boat docks
- Sailboats, fishing boats, trawlers, cuddy cabins and more
- Boat lifts
- Barges
- Boathouses
- Dredges
- Private boat slip rentals
So, what exactly are dock bubblers? Also known simply as “de-icers” (but we think “bubblers” has much more of a fun nautical sound to it), they prevent ice from forming around a dock and private boat slips for rent. Think of it as “aeration.” Some manufacturers even refer to their product as a “dock aeration bubbler system.”
In scientific terms, when water starts to cool down, it contracts. Once it starts freezing, it expands (this is where the dock and boat damage occur). When the top layer of water freezes, the unfrozen water below it stays warmer. Dock bubblers work by bringing up this warmer water to keep the ice away.
In simple terms, dock bubblers push warm water to the surface of the lake. And really, aren’t simple terms the best terms?
Photo: Kasco Marine (Facebook)
How the Dock Bubbler System Works
A perforated hose goes along the bottom of the body of water. It’s then attached to an air compressor (controlled by an air thermostat). Air bubbles are released and send up the warmer water to the top. This puts the warmer water above the hose. There needs to be a 1-foot clearance from the bottom of the lake to the bubbler base. This allows room to stir the water around.
Photo: Pixabay
Where to Use Dock Bubblers
- Permanent docks and private boat lifts for rent
- High altitude locations
- Areas where water freezes (such as lakes)
- Fresh and saltwater locations
Dock Bubbler Pros
- Protects docks, boats, pilings and private boat slip rentals
- Improves water quality
- Increases oxygen levels for marine life
- Reduces weed growth
- Reduces odor from stagnant water (since the bubblers keep the water moving)
- Prevents stagnant mosquito breeding water
- Can be used in fresh and saltwater locations
- Allows migrating birds to use ice-free lakes and ponds
Dock Bubbler Cons
- Won’t protect if there are moving sheets of ice
- Not as effective if the lake water level is low
Types of Dock Bubblers
There are several different types of dock bubblers on the market that will help protect your private boat slip for rent. The main two are the suspended operation variety and the universal dock mount variety.
Suspended Operation
With suspended operation dock bubblers, ropes get tied to the sides of the bubbler. Then, the ropes are tied to each side of the dock, suspending the bubbler unit under the water.
Universal Dock Mount
Universal dock mount systems use stainless-steel pipes to install the bubbler to the dock or private boat slip rental. This can be used to lower and adjust the depth, angle and direction of output when it’s underwater.
Photo: Kasco Marine (Facebook)
Factors to Consider when Choosing Dock Bubblers
- Water depth around the dock
- Size of the area needing to be de-iced
- Shape of the dock
- Elevation and geographic location
- Fluctuations in the water level
- Availability and type of power
- Boat traffic around the area
There is a similar type of device known as an agitator or circulator. This device works by being submerged in the water. It then circulates the water and brings it to the surface (like the bubbler). These types of systems are sometimes used in ponds year-round to aerate the water for fish.
The negative side of this device is that by simply circulating the water, it can bring algae and other sediments to the surface. The agitator is noisier and more expensive to operate than a bubbler. For these reasons, we believe a dock bubbler is the better choice for a marina, boat dock or private boat slip rental.
Dock Bubbler Brands
Hopefully, this has helped with any questions or concerns you may have about dock bubblers. If the water around your private boat dock rental is prone to freezing, a dock bubbler system may be just what you need to keep your valuable property protected.
